Things got better on Friday for Bartolo Colon, the Yankees' veteran starter and living parable. Yet things also got no better. Pitted against 28-year-old Angels ace Jered Weaver, the 38-year-old Colon found that his arm was fresh, his control everything he wanted it to be. "I feel like I did at the beginning of the season," he said afterward. Rookie Jesus Montero homered off Weaver in the third inning, giving Colon a 1-0 lead.

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But in the fifth inning, a bunt single and an error by Derek Jeter set up the Angels with a tying, unearned run. It was still 1-1 when Colon left, after 7 innings and 99 pitches. His streak of winless outings is now at seven. In the bottom of the ninth, the Yankees bullpen loaded the bases and gave up a sacrifice fly to lose the game.